The White House is gearing up for a significant military parade on June 14, marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. This event will be the first major military parade in the United States since the Gulf War celebration in 1991. As the nation prepares for this occasion, a deeper understanding of the current state and perception of the U.S. military has emerged, thanks to data from the Department of Defense’s Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and recent surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center.
At the end of March 2023, the U.S. military boasted approximately 1.32 million active-duty members, reflecting a 1.5% increase from the previous year. Active-duty military members represent those who serve full-time and exclude personnel from the Reserve or National Guard. Among the different branches, nearly 450,000 active-duty personnel are in the Army, making it the largest branch, followed by the Navy with about 334,000. Other branches like the Air Force and Marine Corps also contribute to the numbers, while the Coast Guard and Space Force remain comparatively smaller, each with fewer than 50,000 active-duty members.
All branches of the military have seen an increase in active-duty personnel this past year, with the Navy adding the most overall numbers (approximately 7,300). Some branches like the Space Force (growing by 6.1%) and the Coast Guard (growing by 3.4%) experienced the most significant percentage increases. According to DMDC data, the distribution of active-duty military members varies significantly across the United States due partly to the presence of military bases.
California leads the nation with around 157,500 active-duty military members stationed within its borders, followed by Virginia and Texas, each boasting numbers exceeding 100,000. Conversely, six states have fewer than 1,000 active-duty members, and Vermont has the lowest count at just 128. Additionally, certain branches have a more substantial presence in specific states.
For instance, Texas is home to approximately 65,400 active-duty Army members, significantly more than any other state due to its five Army bases—second only to Virginia. In terms of the Navy, Virginia (73,500) and California (72,500) house the most active-duty members, far exceeding numbers in other states that have similar numbers of naval bases, such as Florida, Maryland, and Washington. Colorado tops the nation with about 4,300 active-duty Space Force members, nearly three times more than any other state, as three out of six Space Force bases are located in Colorado.
Public perception of the military is largely positive, as indicated by a Pew Research Center survey from October 2024. The results revealed that 79% of U.S. adults have confidence in the military’s ability to act in the public’s best interests, which included 30% expressing a great deal of confidence and 48% stating they have a fair amount of confidence. However, 21% of Americans indicated they have little or no confidence in the military.
While majorities in both political parties expressed at least a fair amount of confidence in the military’s actions, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents were somewhat more optimistic than their Democratic counterparts (84% vs. 75%). Since 2016, Pew Research Center surveys have consistently shown that around three-quarters of adults maintain confidence in the military, ranking it higher than trust in religious leaders, journalists, business leaders, and elected officials.
A sizable majority of Americans (76%) believe the U.S. is the preeminent military power in the world, as indicated by a March 2025 Pew Research Center survey. Only 14% of respondents identified China as the leading military power, while 8% mentioned Russia. Both Republicans and Democrats recognize the U.S. as the top military power, although Republicans were somewhat more likely to affirm this belief (80% vs. 73%).
In an April 2024 survey, a notable 63% of Americans expressed that U.S. policies should aim to maintain America as the world’s sole military superpower. Conversely, 33% said it would be acceptable for another country to attain a similar level of military power. Partisan differences were evident; Republicans overwhelmingly supported the notion of maintaining sole superpower status (77% vs. 21%), while Democrats showed a more divided stance (52% vs. 45%).
Regarding potential military threats, 64% of Americans surveyed in September 2024 identified China as a significant military threat, followed closely by Russia at 59% and Iran at 42%. Furthermore, around seven in ten Americans (69%) believed that a robust U.S. military contributes to global safety. Only 6% contended that a strong U.S. military poses a danger, while 24% thought it had no impact. Similar to confidence in military power, Republicans were more inclined than Democrats to view a strong military as a force for global security, and age differences were also notable.
For instance, 87% of older adults (ages 65 and older) see a strong military as a contributor to global safety, compared to just 54% of younger adults (ages 18 to 34). These trends in perception reflect broader attitudes toward military presence and its role in ensuring national and global security.
image source from：https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/06/06/6-facts-about-the-us-military/
